Today I want to give a very big, gigantic SHOUT OUT to TOM AND JOHN FLORSHIEM of Weyco Group. From their website, “WEYCO Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: WEYS), designs and markets quality and innovative footwear for men, women and children under a portfolio of well-recognized brand names including; Florsheim, Nunn Bush, Stacy Adams, BOGS, Rafters and Umi. The company’s products can be found in leading footwear, department, and specialty stores worldwide. Weyco Group also operates Florsheim concept stores in the United States and Australia, as well as in a variety of international markets.â€
Some of the mothers and children line up for a photo with their new Umi shoes.
Tom and John are both very involved in the community with various organizations and their generosity can be seen all over the Milwaukee metro area. Tom was a member of the First Stage Board of Directors and John’s daughter engaged in the First Stage Theater Academy as well as being a young performer.
The first portion of the shoes are lined up according to size.
Several years ago in a conversation with Tom I shared that I was involved in helping a very poor community in Northern Uganda, Padibe. As we talked about the various community needs and especially the need for footwear, he offered to donate some of their shoes to the people.
The mothers begin inspecting the shoes for the correct size for their child.
The first donation was for adult men and went over very well when I arrived with them. Several years later, we talked about how the children only get hand me downs and almost none had shoes, and only a few wore flip flops. His second donation was around 150 pair of Umi childrens shoes. Now again for this trip Tom has made a third donation of Umi childrens shoes.
Many of the mothers are looking for the right size shoe for their sick child.
I take the shoes to the St. Peter and Paul Health Center, a very large part of the Padibe Mission church. The health clinic is open to anyone in the community. Most people prefer to come to this Health Clinic rather than the government one that is about a kilometer away.
Her mother had her dress up with her new pair of Umi shoes.
She came out of the sick ward to get her shoes and still had the strength to get her photo taken. Thank You Weyco Group!!
A very grateful young lady at the health center with her very pretty Umi shoes thanks to Tom Florsheim.
An ill and shy young lady getting her first pair of shoes.
The Health Center is managed by a two sisters, Gabriella and Aida, from the Little Sisters of Mary Immaculate of Gulu and do an amazing job. They have around 15 employees, including four nurses with differing levels of training.
The mother had to carry the sick child, but she is very grateful for a new pair of Umi shoes.
Mother holding a sick child, she got a pair of new Umi shoes!
They deliver many babies in the maternity ward, which is in great need of repair; have wards for children, women and one for men. But, all the buildings are older and need repair. There is no running water and no electricity. They use a generator, which is very expensive because of the fuel needed to run the engine, for all their power needs and use it only when necessary.
Notice the IV shunt on his hand. This is for a malaria IV medicine for serious cases. But he still came out to get a pair of new Umi shoes!
Right now there is a very serious epidemic of malaria that is primarily attacking children. I will talk more about that tomorrow.
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